Mountain View, CA

The cover story of Psychology Today this month, “Diagnosed In Adulthood,” made me think back to the timing of my own diagnoses. They all came in adulthood, in my late twenties: anorexia, major depressive disorder (with the modifier of with psychotic features added later), and borderline personality disorder.

Borderline Personality Diagnosis: Two Things That Matter

We’ve all been there—waking up in a cold sweat, with your heart pounding after a nightmare so vivid, that it’s hard to remember what’s real. Whether it’s frantically running from a faceless pursuer, falling from a great height, or being trapped in a room with no escape, these unsettling dreams can linger long after we’ve woken up.

2 Common Nightmares and Their Hidden Meanings

Death anxiety is associated with a variety of mental health disorders. People with physical diseases and disorders can also suffer from extreme death anxiety. At the same time, fear of death can motivate you to achieve your life's goals. Debilitating death anxiety can be treated with therapy and medication. One...

Do You Suffer From Death Anxiety?

Traditional definitions of childhood trauma often miss nuanced relational dynamics that can lead to trauma. The definition of relational trauma can encompass trauma from power-imbalanced, dysfunctional relationships. Vignettes depicting examples of relational trauma can show how subtle and indirect actions cause trauma. In my last post, I shared six reasons...

Relational Trauma: Is This You?

Events leading to hospitalization vary from person to person. Psychostimulant use is often a contributing factor. The context is important for understanding the illness. My intention in writing this blog is to share the experiences that I went through with my son, starting with the first manifestation of his illness and our journey through numerous subsequent episodes. Also, my purpose is to provide commentary as a parent and psychiatrist on issues that these experiences bring up, such as how the diagnostic process works in mental health, and how to work with treatment providers and medication issues. My hope is that reading this may be helpful for people with mental health issues and also their families and friends.

Events That Lead to a Mental-Illness ER Visit

Minimizing your feelings or your partner's actions is a lie that can wreak havoc on a relationship. The belief that you can change your partner is a dangerous lie that sets both of you up for disappointment. "We don’t need to talk about that" is one of the most destructive...

The 4 Biggest Lies That Destroy Love

A good-enough marriage greatly depends upon letting go of the idealized partner and the perfect relationship. Identify what each spouse desires, accompanied by agreements of support. Allow clarity about desires and needs to support expressions of love. There are at least three reasons why a marriage will be experienced as...

What's a Good-Enough Marriage?

Psychology research shows that clothes shape first impressions and first impressions linger. The clothes you wear in court will influence the judge and jury's impression of you. The goal is to look trustworthy rather than attractive. You are involved in a legal case and the big day is near. Use...

How Should I Dress for Court?

Criticism is damaging because it shifts focus from the issue at hand to the perceived flaws of one's partner. Persistent use of defensiveness only delays addressing problems within the relationship. Contempt conveys to your partner that you consider yourself superior and think very little of them. In 1992, renowned clinical...

The 4 Strongest Predictors of Divorce

Los Angeles County, CA

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Herbie J Pilato

Actor Van Johnson, who died in 2007, was one of Hollywood's ideal films idols. In the 1940s, the charming screen icon was box office gold, and remained a popular presence on TV in shows like Murder, She Wrote (which starred his good friend Angela Lansbury).

The Secret Gay Life & Horrific Car Accident of Actor Van Johnson: 16 Years After His Tragic Death

Denver, CO

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David Heitz

An opinion piece appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA this week illustrates why the drug problem among people experiencing homelessness in Denver may be so severe. It's because many homeless people aren't addicted to just one drug, but two, according to the viewpoint's author, Benjamin A. Howell of Yale School of Medicine and colleagues.

Fentanyl-meth combo ravages homeless in Denver, so why aren't there better treatments?

Navigating your child’s struggles while maintaining your own well-being can be incredibly challenging. Positive psychology offers valuable strategies that can help you stay connected and grounded. Here are five approaches you might find useful during hard times. I recently spoke with my friend Karen about navigating some of the...

Don't Go Into the Tunnel: The Practice of Loving Detachment

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Emily Standley Allard

Have you ever been with someone that you seem to butt heads with over every little thing? Sometimes no matter what you do or how much you love someone your relationship seems to be more like a UFC fight than a comfort zone. Your zodiac sign can offer some hidden reasons why some pairings are just plain toxic, why they clash so often and how to potentially find some middle ground.

The 7 Most Toxic Zodiac Pairings - When the Stars Don't Align

Vaccinations prevent severe disease, disability, and death. Certain vaccines also seem to have brain benefits. Those who receive the flu and shingles vaccination have a significantly lower incidence of cognitive decline. Have you gotten the shingles vaccination? What about the flu vax? If so, I have good news and more...

The Surprising "Side-Effect" of Some Vaccinations

Overlapping symptoms of Bipolar and Borderline include mood swings, impulsivity, and instability. Borderpolar is hard to diagnose due to overlapping symptoms with other disorders. Effective Borderpolar care needs a tailored approach for both BD and BPD symptoms. Mental health diagnoses can be particularly complex, significantly when symptoms of different disorders...

Borderpolar: A Diagnostic Whiplash

To focus on the big picture, you need specific habits and procedures for doing so. Thinking in longer time frames will naturally make you think bigger and more holistically. Thinking big-picture can help us make smarter decisions and achieve meaningful accomplishments. There are numerous reasons you might find yourself consumed...

How to Stay Focused on the Big Picture

Declutterbuzz

Clutter, can and often does, creep up on us because decluttering is an ongoing process. This makes our homes feel more like chaotic storage units than serene sanctuaries. Keep reading to learn how to avoid making decluttering mistakes.

How To Avoid Making Common Decluttering Mistakes

Stereotypes fail to capture the complexity of introversion. Different cultures define "introverted" and "extroverted" behaviors differently. Introversion includes unexpected superpowers, especially in leadership. I recently read and loved The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks, a psychologist who introduces the concept of different "zones" in life and work. These zones describe...

Introverts Are Not What You Think

Start with small, easy tasks if you can, or simply prioritize the most urgent ones. Keep yourself motivated by celebrating every tiny step forward and every tiny bit of success. Listen to what your body and mind are telling you—and give them the replenishment they need. September is here,...

How to Reduce Back-to-Work Stress

Apache Junction, AZ

Suzy Jacobson Cherry

When I studied Anthropology in college, I learned that teeth have been indicators of economic status just about forever. Archaeologists look at the teeth in ancient skeletons and know who the rich were based on their tooth decay. During the Renaissance period, it became fashionable for women to blacken their teeth to look like they were better off than they were, because the royals and aristocrats, who could afford sugar and sweets, had more rotten and missing teeth than the poor.

Opinion: Stop Stereotyping Bad Teeth as a Sign of Drug Addiction

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The Slippery Slope Between Boredom and Professional Burnout

The state of boredom can be both mentally and emotionally taxing. Burnout is the result of chronic stress and overwork. Breaking the cycle between boredom and...

The Slippery Slope Between Boredom and Professional Burnout

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